by Peter Carlson | Aug 21, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Peter described the characteristics of jhana from both the “sutta jhana” and “Visuddhimagga jhana” models. The benefits of jhana practice were reviewed, suggesting the real benefit of jhana practice is the cultivation of the seven Awakening Factors, which will be discussed in depth during next week’s discussion. Peter’s notes for this talk are posted above this posting, including URL addresses for downloading an ebook relevant to jhana practice, and a page from Leigh Brasington’s site with various articles about the jhanas.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 19, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
It is customary for those who have been on a significant retreat to have the opportunity to “think out loud” about what they gained from the experience. Much of the learning and training is stored in the subconscious mind and having the opportunity to talk about it with people who understand the concepts and practices can help consolidate and integrate the insights and skills acquired. Additionally, this can be informative for those listening and perhaps inspire them to attend a retreat sometime themselves. The talks referred to by Peter are in the process of being uploaded to the site and will be found on the Audio Page in the 2020 folder.
Next week’s talk will continue to focus on the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse, perhaps the most informative and transformative teaching in the Buddhist traditions. The focus will be on integrating persistent breath awareness with whole body awareness, which can provide a useful reference point from which to investigate the transient and insubstantial nature of thoughts and moods.
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by Peter Carlson | May 7, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the second of three planned reviews of the Five Hindrances, which are the initial focus for contemplation in the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness Discourse. Peter described the Buddhist concepts of Thina/Middha (tee-nah/mih-dah), Sloth/Torpor and Uddhacca/Kukkucca (ooh-dah-chah/koo-koo-chah), Restlessness/Worry as imbalances of the energy systems of the body and mind. Sloth/Torpor is an overactive parasympathetic system, producing too much tranquility, causing dullness and the inability to be clearly aware to dominate consciousness. Restlessness/Worry is an overactive sympathetic system, creating agitation, anxiety and worrisome, repetitive thought processes to dominate consciousness. The primary antidotes for these two hindrances is satisampajanna (sah-tee-sahm-puh-jahn-yah), mindful clear comprehension, cultivated through persisting present-moment awareness of the process of breathing. Earlier in the meeting, Peter provided a guided meditation for the cultivation of satisampajanna with mindfulness of breathing meditation; the recording of that practice can be found on the Audio page of the website. It is interesting to notice that steadfast investigation of the process of breathing can be beneficial in calming an anxious mind and alerting a dull mind. Other tactics for overcoming these hindrances were also reviewed. The review was followed by questions and comments by those attending the Zoom meeting.
Here are the notes prepared for this meeting: Notes For Overcoming Sloth and Restlessness May 6 2020
Next week’s topic will review the fifth hindrance, Skeptical Doubt.
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by Peter Carlson | May 11, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk follows up on the talk last week involving the Parami of Generosity. Each person attending was given a worksheet, (the .doc file posted below) to review, creating a hierarchy of valuing possessions, from relatively unimportant to the most important. This was followed by a participatory group discussion of the items on the list, including how the attachment to that thing creates a sense of self that must be defended or gratified, thereby fostering distress and confusion, a resistance regarding the practice of generosity.
Here is the worksheet provided for listing and contemplating how the valuing process regarding material possessions contributes to selfing: Generosity Worksheet
For those participating in the meeting, please note that this posted document has two pages instead of one; the second page offers suggestions for contemplation.
Next week’s topic will explore the classical and contemporary commentary on the benefits of cultivating the Parami of Virtue
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 5, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk is part of the review of part of the First Foundation of Mindfulness, Mindfulness of the Body, specifically sati sampajanna, mindful clear comprehension. Peter read quotes from the Satipatthana Sutta regarding how a meditator is to apply mindfulness in all postures and activities and then reviewed the Four Clear Comprehensions from the commentaries: (1) Worthy goal (2) Suitable means (3) Minding the domain (4) Inclining towards Awakening. This was presented as a useful protocol for mundane decision making as well as spiritual development (for more information on mundane decisions search “decision-making” on Wikipedia). This topic seems timely as we are confronted with several challenges currently such as the covid-19 (coronavirus) disease, the political choices of this year, as well as choices regarding lifestyle as current weather anomalies such as unusual heat, rain, or severe storms challenge our customary lifestyle routines. How can this decision making process be coordinated with mindfulness of breathing training to benefit how we live our daily life routines? This explanation was followed by discussion among those attending regarding how this might affect their lives.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Mindful Clear Comprehension
Next week Peter and a number of the members of our group will be on retreat, so there will be no dharma talk on Wednesday evening; folks are welcome to come to the site and meditate between 7-9 PM that day (please be sure to turn off the lights and close the fence gate upon leaving–we don’t want our puppy to roam about the neighborhood!). The dharma talks from the retreat will be recorded and posted through the Audio page on the website after the retreat. The topic for the next talk on March 18 will be a review of the retreat experience by those attending the retreat, a custom of our community.
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